Illuminated electrical fixture face plate and safety cover

ABSTRACT

An electrical fixture faceplate that has illumination functionality is disclosed. The faceplate may be associated with various electrical fixtures such as a receptacle or switch. The faceplate may be illuminated by a lighting device associated or incorporated with the faceplate. The lighting device may further comprise an LED, neon, chemiluminescent material or combinations thereof to provide illumination of the faceplate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/279,353, filed Apr. 11, 2006, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/925,356, filed Aug. 23, 2004, nowissued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,026,550, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 09/162,387, filed Sep. 28, 1998, now issuedas U.S. Pat. No. 6,794,575, which is a divisional of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 08/708,344, filed Sep. 6, 1996, now issued as U.S.Pat. No. 5,813,873, which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 60/003,364, filed Sep. 7, 1995, which are allhereby incorporated by reference as if set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In residential and other structures, electrical outlets are generallypositioned a short distance above the floor. This makes the outletsreadily accessible to small children. A curious child is inclined totest and probe his environment and may stick objects, such as paperclips, into the prong receiving openings of an electrical outlet. Thisexposes him to the danger of shock or even death.

Additionally, an exposed outlet presents the problem of “carbon fires”that can occur when dust accumulates in an outlet.

In spite of generally widespread knowledge of the dangers thatelectrical outlets present to small children, very few devices arecommercially available for denying a child access to an outlet. The mostcommonly available device is a small plastic disk with prongs that pluginto the openings of an outlet receptacle. The disk covers thereceptacle and takes the place of an electrical plug to preventinsertion of any other object in the openings. A major disadvantage ofthis type of device is that the disk may easily become lost or mislaidwhen it is temporarily removed to allow normal use of the outlet.

There have been a number of proposals for providing a permanentlymounted safety cover for electrical outlets to make the prong receivingopenings inaccessible to a child. Such proposals generally provide aninadequate solution either because the safety cover is too easilydefeated by a child who is still too young to understand the dangers ofelectricity or because the covering device is unduly complicated and/orcumbersome.

It is desired to have an improved electrical outlet safety cover thatavoids some of the problems of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the present invention uses a safety cap includingprongs made of a non-electrically conductive material which is attachedto a bendable section for rotating the prongs from a position outside anelectrical outlet to a position inside an electrical outlet and anadhesive section for connecting the cap to a standard electrical outletcover plate. The use of the adhesive section allows the cover to beplaced on the standard electrical outlet. This embodiment can be maderelatively cheaply. Such an embodiment can be a “T”-shaped plasticmember with molded-in prongs; a dual unit hinged at a centercross-member; or a cover having an adhesive strip around its frame-likeshape. Tabs can be used on the cap to make the cap removal easier. Aridge on the cover back can act as a pivot when the cap is pressed sothat the tab may be easily gripped.

Another embodiment uses a pair of electrically non-conductive, slidableplates. Each plate includes some type of spring to purposefully misalignapertures in the plate and the respective outlet slots to prevent accessto the outlet slots. The outlet can be accessed by squeezing the platestogether. An elongated member is used to contact a spring on the otherplate. Alternately, the elongated member can fit into a spring groove tobias the plates apart into the closed position.

Locking pins can be used to lock the plates onto an aperture at the baseof a plug's power prong. The locking pins can be disengaged by squeezingthe plates together or by pulling on the plug with some predeterminedamount of force. The required predetermined amount of force should belarge enough to deter children from removing the plug but small enoughto prevent damage to the outlet. The amount of force is the result ofthe size and material, preferably memory plastic, of the locking pin.

Each receptacle is preferably designed to require two hands to operateso that children will be less likely to accidentally remove the plug.

The invention may include a recessed perimeter around each electricaloutlet (or an extending lip around each electrical outlet) which mateswith a respective lip (or recess) of a plug portion to provide aninterlocking interface between the plug and outlet cover. This featurewill prevent a child from being able to insert a metal object betweenthe plug and the faceplate.

The devices of the present invention may include a lighting device suchas an LED or neon lighting device incorporated into the body of thefaceplate; an illuminated sign; or a chemiluminescent device.

Additionally, the faceplate may include a coaxial or video cableconnection; a button camera or video “eye” 106; telephone receiverjack(s); and/or a motion sensor and/or infrared sensor.

The AC wiring may be used to carry the individual signals for eachcomponent. The motion sensor can be used to trigger the video eye andsend a message to a main computer. This enables the safety cover of thepresent invention to be used as a security/surveillance device. Thecoaxial output port may be adapted to provide conventional cable TVsignals, and/or the video signal from the video eye.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and aspects of the present invention willbecome more apparent upon the reading of the following detaileddescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A-C are front, top and side views of a safety cover of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 2A-B are front and side views of an alternate embodiment of asafety cover of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A-B are front and side views of still another alternateembodiment of a safety cover of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a safety cover of the present invention usingtabs on the safety cap.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present inventionhaving pairs of electrically non-conductive, slidable plates located infront of each electrical outlet slot.

FIG. 6 is a top diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 further illustrates the positioning of the plates in the outletcover of the embodiment of FIG. 5.

FIGS. 8A-C are first side view, top view and second side view of analternate slidable plate.

FIGS. 9A-C are first side view, top view and second side view of aslidable plate for use with the slidable plate of FIGS. 8A-C.

FIGS. 10A-B are the side and top views of an outlet cover for use withthe slidable plates of FIGS. 8A-C and 9A-C.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a plug having a lip.

FIG. 12A is a front view of a receptacle having recesses to fit the lipof the plug of FIG. 11.

FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view along line A-A′ of FIG. 12A showingthe lip of the plug fitted into the recess of the outlet.

FIGS. 13A-B are top and side diagram views of a plug adapter of thepresent invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a plug showing two tabs forimplementing the locking feature.

FIGS. 15A-B are side and top views of a faceplate of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1-4

In the simplest form of the invention (FIGS. 1A-C), a “T”-shaped plasticmember 21 has molded-in prongs that articulate into and out ofengagement with the outlet slots. The “T”-shaped member has an adhesivestrip 22 applied to the back of the horizontal of the “T”, which sticksto the face of a duplex outlet cover plate (not shown). It is thusrestrained from loss. A bendable portion 24 allows the prongs 20 to bendin and out of the receptacle (not shown).

Another variation (FIGS. 2A-B) has a cross-member in the center having acentrally-disposed hole 26 therein for receiving the mounting screwnormally found in duplex outlets. Adhesive at area 28 also helps holdthe cover on the outlet.

Still another variation (FIGS. 3A-B) has an adhesive strip all aroundits frame-like shape 30 for mounting.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3.The entire duplex plate is covered except for a square cutout 38 in thecenter to permit access to the centrally disposed mounting screw 40 ofthe faceplate. The articulatable portions 42 and 44 have a zigzagconfiguration to produce tabs 42 a and 44 a for lifting. A linear ridge42 b and 44 b on the backsides acts as a pivot when the articulatablemember 42 and 44 is pressed a central portion 42 c and 44 c isdepressed, so as to extend the tab 42 a and 44 a so that it may beeasily gripped. A centrally located bar could also be used rather than alinear ridge. The hinged covers of the FIG. 4 embodiment may bepivotally connected to the top and bottom portions of the cover frame,rather than the side portions. This feature is advantageous in that itfacilitates the ease of inserting and removing the prongs into and outfrom the electrical outlet receptacles. Additionally, the cover isuniversally adaptable to fit all types of conventional outlets currentlyon the market, whereas at least some of the covers illustrated in theprior art patents are not adaptable for use with Decora- or GFI-typeelectrical outlets.

FIGS. 5-15

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the present invention using a pair ofelectrically non-conductive, slidable plates 52, 54 and 56, 58 locatedin front of each electrical outlet slot. Each plate includes at leastone aperture 52 a, 54 a therein for permitting a male plug (not shown)to be inserted through the respective aperture and into the electricoutlet slots when the apertures are properly aligned with the outletslots. Each plate 52, 54 includes some type of spring 52 b, 54 b whichpurposefully misalign the apertures and the respective outlet slots tothereby prevent access to the outlet slots. In the embodiment of FIG. 5,elongated portions 52 d and 54 d engage springs 54 b and 52 brespectively. The apertures may be properly aligned to the outlet slotsby pushing the two plates closer together. To accomplish this, theoutlet cover (or female receptacle) will include a pair of tabs 52 c and54 c or other surface connected to the plates 52 and 54 for permittingan adult to grip the tabs between thumb and forefinger and push the twoplates together (overcoming the spring tension) until the holes in theplates are aligned with the electrical outlet slots. The sliding platesare preferably made of a memory plastic material. The cover and/orsliding plates may be made of kevlar/mylar plastic, for example.

Also shown in FIG. 5 are the locking pins 52 e and 54 e. The lockingpins 52 e and 54 e lock into a hole at the base of a power prong, shownin FIG. 11. To remove the plug once locked, the tabs 52 c and 54 c arepressed together slightly; then the plug is removed. After the plug isremoved the spring action will move the plates back to the closedposition. Once the plug is inserted into the outlet and locked, a childwill then be unable to remove the plug or a portion of it from theoutlet. The plug lock may include a quick-release mechanism, which willkeep the plug locked into the receptacle until the plug is pulled withsome predetermined amount of force, such as, for example, 15 lbs. It isnoted that the force for the quick-release mechanism can be changed toaccommodate O.S.H.A. standards. This can be the result of the size andmaterial of the locking pin. A plastic locking pin is preferable. Tounlock the plug, the two side tabs are squeezed together, then the plugis pulled from the outlet or extension cord. In order for the plug tolock into the wall receptacle or extension cord, a specially designedplug and/or special plug adapter is used. (See, e.g. FIGS. 11 and 13A-B)

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 5. This view illustratesthe positioning of the plates 52 and 54 in the outlet cover 50. Outletcover 50 has a space 50 a for tab 54 c, space 50 b for tab 52 c, space50 c for tabs 54 f and 52 f; and space 50 d for tabs 52 g and 54 g.

Each receptacle is preferably designed to require two hands to operate.One hand is used to open doors to gain access to receive. The other handis used to plug in a cord or device. It is preferable that the safetycover be designed such that the door that covers the common side of thereceptacle be pushed prior to the hot side door for access to be gained.

FIG. 7 is a computer aided drawing further illustrating the positioningof the plates in the outlet cover.

FIGS. 8A-C and 9A-C illustrate an alternate embodiment of the slidingplates of the present invention. FIGS. 8A-C are first side view, topview and second side view of a sliding plate 60. Sliding plate 60 has atab 60 a, power prong aperture 60 b, ground prong aperture 60 c, springgroove 60 d, and elongated member 60 e. FIGS. 9A-C are first side view,top view and second side view of a sliding plate 62. Sliding plate 62has a tab 62 a, power prong aperture 62 b, spring groove 62 d, andelongated member 62 e. The elongated members 60 e and 62 e engage thespring groove 62 d and 60 d respectively to normally bias the platesinto the closed position.

FIGS. 10A-B are side and top views of an outlet cover for use with theslidable plates of FIGS. 8A-C and 9A-C.

The invention may include a recessed perimeter around each electricaloutlet (or an extending lip around each electrical outlet) which mateswith a respective lip (or recess) of a plug portion to provide aninterlocking interface between the plug and outlet cover. This featurewill prevent a child from being able to insert a metal object such as aknife or screwdriver between the plug and the faceplate, whereupon themetal object would otherwise simultaneously contact both the groundedportion of the plug as well as the live portion of the plug.

FIG. 11 shows a plug 70 with a lip portion 72. The lip portion 72 fitsinto a recessed portion 82 in outlet cover 80 of FIG. 12A. This is alsoshown in FIG. 12B. This feature is also used with the outlets of FIGS. 5and 10A-B. Looking again at FIG. 11, note that the power prong 72includes an aperture 72 for holding a locking pin.

FIGS. 13A-B are top and side diagram views of an adapter 90. Adapter 90can be used to convert a regular plug to a plug usable with theembodiments described above. Adapter 90 has lip 92 for connecting with arecess, such as recess 82 shown in FIGS. 12A-B. Adapter 90 also has apower prong such as power prong 92 having an aperture 92 a that can holda locking pin. A regular plug (not shown) fits into the recess 90 a. Theplug is held in place with dielectric screws 96. The lip 90 c around therecess 90 b prevents metal objects from being pried between the adapterand regular plug.

FIG. 14 is a view of a plug 94 showing two tabs 94 a and 94 b forimplementing the locking feature described above.

FIGS. 15A-B are side and top views of a faceplate 100. The devices ofthe present invention may include a lighting device such as an LED orneon lighting device incorporated into the body of the faceplate, whichcauses the plate itself to illuminate. Faceplate 100 includes anightlight 102. Faceplate 100 also incorporates an EXIT sign 104 intothe plate to alert persons of the nearest exit in case of an emergency,such as a fire, for example. Power for the lighting device may besupplied from one of a variety of sources. First, a battery source maybe used. Second, the AC voltage supply (to the outlet) may be used. Inthis latter case, the electrical connection to the AC voltage supply maybe accomplished via hardwiring the outlet cover lighting device to theAC voltage wires. In the alternative, flexible electrically-conductiveclips may be incorporated into the outlet cover (at the sides) such thatwhen the outlet cover is placed over the electrical outlet, the clipsmake contact with the respective metal plates (or screws) located at thesides of conventional outlets. These side plates (or screws) aretypically used to electrically connect the electrical outlet to the ACwiring. An alternate embodiment for providing power to the lightingdevice is to utilize the electromagnetic field around the outlet (fromthe AC wiring). The technology for tapping power from an electromagneticfield to light a lighting device is known to those skilled in the art.An example of such technology is evidenced by a conventional NON-CONTACTAC POWER DETECTOR, manufactured by Bel-Merit. One advantage of providingsuch a feature in the present invention is that no physical wiring needbe connected between the AC power lines and the safety cover of thepresent invention.

Faceplate 100 may also include an opening for a small button camera 106for permitting observation of a particular area adjacent to theelectrical outlet. It is envisioned that the electrical outlet willinclude the camera 106 with the signal being transmitted through theelectrical wiring. The faceplate would include an aperture or a clearcovering for the camera lens, and may additionally include an interfacefor securing an optional fiber-optic extension member onto the plate forre-directing the camera view.

Alternately, the faceplate cover may also include chemiluminescentmaterial therein for providing extra illumination to the plate, and forpermitting the plate to glow or provide illumination even in the absenceof power to the electrical outlet.

An alternate embodiment of the present invention applies to safetycovers for conventional switched outlets such as, for example, wallmounted switches for lighting fixtures. Both receptacle covers andreceptacles with switch covers will have option of having night lights102 incorporated into the cover.

The lights may be of different colors. Switch plates will have safetycovers that will prevent access to the switching mechanism by children.

As shown, for example, in FIG. 15, the safety cover of the presentinvention may also include:

(1) an output port for a coaxial 108 or video cable connection;

(2) a button camera or video “eye” 106;

(3) telephone receiver jack(s) 110; and/or

(4) a motion sensor and/or infrared sensor 112.

FM digitized code receivers may be provided for each optional component(e.g., telephone, cable, motion security detector, etc.) so that the ACwiring may be used to carry the individual signals for each component.The motion sensor can be used to trigger the video eye and send amessage to a main computer. This enables the safety cover of the presentinvention to be used as a security/surveillance device. The coaxialoutput port may be adapted to provide conventional cable TV signals,and/or the video signal from the video eye.

The video eye may be programmable to turn on with a motion sensor, or itcan be on a timer clock to go on and off at random intervals. Thisoperation can either be controlled independently or by the maincomputer.

Although several preferred embodiments of this invention have beendescribed in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theseprecise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may beaffected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention.

1. An illuminated electrical fixture faceplate comprising: a faceplatemade of an electrically insulating material, the faceplate substantiallyshaped to fit around an electrical fixture; a lighting device coupledwith the faceplate, wherein the lighting device illuminates thefaceplate.
 2. The faceplate in accordance with claim 1, wherein thelighting device is a light emitting device.
 3. The faceplate inaccordance with claim 2, wherein the light emitting device is an LED. 4.The faceplate in accordance with claim 2, wherein the light emittingdevice is a neon lighting device.
 5. The faceplate in accordance withclaim 2, wherein the light emitting device is battery powered.
 6. Thefaceplate in accordance with claim 2, wherein the light emitting deviceis powered by AC voltage supplied to the electrical fixture.
 7. Thefaceplate in accordance with claim 2, wherein the light emitting deviceis powered by an electromagnetic field surrounding the electricalfixture.
 8. The faceplate in accordance with claim 1, wherein thelighting device employs a chemiluminescent light emitting materialassociated with the faceplate.
 9. The faceplate in accordance with claim1, wherein the electrical fixture is a receptacle.
 10. The faceplate inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical fixture is a switch. 11.A self-illuminating electrical fixture faceplate comprising: a faceplatemade of electrically insulating material, the faceplate substantiallyshaped to fit around at least one electrical fixture, the faceplateincorporating a chemiluminescent light emitting material.
 12. Theself-illuminating electrical fixture faceplate in accordance with claim11, wherein the electrical fixture is a receptacle.
 13. Theself-illuminating electrical fixture faceplate in accordance with claim11, wherein the electrical fixture is a switch.